The Nigerian Bar Association has issued a powerful demand for the complete restructuring of Nigeria's security apparatus, declaring the nation has reached a breaking point following recent violent attacks.
National Crisis Reaches Breaking Point
During their National Executive Committee meeting in Benin City, NBA leaders expressed outrage over two devastating incidents that occurred within hours of each other. At Government Girls' Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, terrorists killed a teacher and abducted at least 25 students in a brazen daylight attack.
Almost simultaneously, ISWAP insurgents ambushed and killed Brigadier-General M. Uba in Borno State, demonstrating their ability to strike high-ranking military officers. The NBA described these events as tragic reminders of Nigeria's collapsing security framework.
Pattern of Violence Spreads Across Nigeria
The association revealed alarming statistics showing that more than 145 people were abducted across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara States within just four days. They emphasized that terrorists are expanding their operations into previously secure areas, citing intelligence alerts from the Department of State Services about planned ISWAP attacks in Ondo and Kogi States.
According to the NBA, the situation has reached a critical stage where schoolchildren, farmers, travelers, rural dwellers, and security personnel have all become regular victims of widespread lawlessness. The association noted that impunity has become habitual while national tragedies have turned into background noise in the country.
Concrete Demands for Immediate Action
The NBA outlined specific, non-negotiable measures required to address the escalating crisis:
- A coordinated, time-bound rescue mission for the abducted Kebbi schoolgirls
- Full investigation into intelligence failures surrounding Brigadier-General Uba's ambush
- Prosecution of all terrorism collaborators, financiers, and enablers
- Complete implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative
- Major investments in satellite surveillance and forest-monitoring technology
- Military modernization and proactive counter-terror measures in high-risk states
- Trauma care and long-term support for families of terrorism victims
NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) and General Secretary Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara jointly stated that this crisis transcends security concerns and represents a fundamental test of leadership and justice for the nation's soul.
The association paid tribute to the teacher killed in Kebbi and the fallen Brigadier-General and soldiers in Borno, honoring them as heroes who paid the ultimate price. They concluded with a firm declaration that Nigeria must take decisive action now to prevent total collapse.
